Jim Bob Baggins was on a mission. He was headed to Vegas with six thousand dollars in hard, cold cash. He had one goal in mind. One goal only. Play against Slade McCoy, the most notorious poker player in the whole city. It didn’t matter if he lost or not. What mattered was meeting Slade face to face.
He drove through the concrete jungle, searching for Slade’s favorite casino. It took him several hours to find the Bellagio. For he had never set foot in Vegas before, and his cell phone had died on him before reaching the city limits. And so, the only aides he had were the handwritten directions and a few gas station attendants.
Jim brought his suitcase with him when he entered the Bellagio. At the counter where cash was exchanged for chips, he asked the cashier if she knew when and where Slade usually showed up.
“Yeah, but why do you want to know?”
“I’m going to beat him so badly, he’ll be hiding in the closet for a week.”
“That’s what everyone says,” responded the woman, “You realize he’s the most notorious poker player in Vegas.”
“Not for very long.”
“Well, I did warn you. He comes here every evening at seven and stays for a couple of hours. Don’t complain to me if it ends up being you hiding in the closet.”
After the exchange, Jim acquired $2,000 worth of chips. He then relaxed in the lounge, enjoying the atmosphere and entertainment. Then, as if on cue, Slade walked through the front door straight at seven. There was no mistaking who he was, especially when his black leather jacket displayed his name with glittering silver letters. He matched this coat with black pants, black boots, and a black cowboy hat. The only thing which wasn’t black was the white t-shirt he wore under the coat.
Once McCoy sat down at a poker table, Baggins lept up from his chair, ran to the table with his chips, then immediately challenged him to a game without introducing himself.
“Hello, Slade. I’m the biggest, baddest poker player in the Southwest. And I’m here to show you how it’s done.”
“Is that so?”
“You know it’s so. Prove it otherwise. Unless you’re a coward.”
“Alright. But we play Texas Hold Em. Deal?”
“Deal!”
Jim sat down and organized his chips. The dealer passed two cards to each player. Jim looked at his cards. He had the two of hearts and the seven of diamonds. He looked at his stack of chips, then peaked at his cards. Without waiting to see what the first three cards would be, he went all-in and betted all his chips. Slade smiled and matched his bet. He had a pair of jacks. Needless to say, Jim was pulverized.
Yet, despite the disastrous loss, Jim never lost his determination. For on the following evening, he approached Slade again a few minutes after seven.
“What? You want to play again?”
“Sure. I have a brand new strategy to win. And you will never recover from the humiliation.”
“You’ve got me curious. I’ll go another round.”
Jim sat down and organized another stack of chips worth $2,000. The dealer passed two cards to each player. Jim looked at his cards. He had the nine of spades and the four of clubs. He looked at his stacks of chips, then peaked at his cards. Without hesitation, he went all-in. Slade called the bet, then revealed the king and queen in diamonds. In the end, he won with a flush. This loss was even more devastating than the other one. But Jim would not give up.
On the third and final evening in Vegas, Jim went to the Bellagio once more and obtained $2,000 worth of chips. True to form, Slade showed up at seven and took a seat in the poker room.
“You again?”
“Don’t worry. This time, I will be victorious with my brand-new approach.”
“I don’t know.”
“Come on, this is my final night in Vegas!”
“Oh, alright.”
Jim sat down and organized his chips. The dealer passed two cards to each player. Jim looked at his cards. He had the eight of clubs and the four of diamonds. He looked at his stacks of chips, then peaked at his cards. Without hesitation, he went all-in. Slade called the bet, then revealed the jack of clubs and the ten of hearts. At the end of the game, Slade won with a straight.
“You are one of the worst poker players I have ever met. Who are you? Where are you from?”
My name is Jim Bob Baggins and I come from Dallas.”
“Hey, my sister lives in Dallas!”
“I know. She gave me $6,000 to give to you.”
He drove through the concrete jungle, searching for Slade’s favorite casino. It took him several hours to find the Bellagio. For he had never set foot in Vegas before, and his cell phone had died on him before reaching the city limits. And so, the only aides he had were the handwritten directions and a few gas station attendants.
Jim brought his suitcase with him when he entered the Bellagio. At the counter where cash was exchanged for chips, he asked the cashier if she knew when and where Slade usually showed up.
“Yeah, but why do you want to know?”
“I’m going to beat him so badly, he’ll be hiding in the closet for a week.”
“That’s what everyone says,” responded the woman, “You realize he’s the most notorious poker player in Vegas.”
“Not for very long.”
“Well, I did warn you. He comes here every evening at seven and stays for a couple of hours. Don’t complain to me if it ends up being you hiding in the closet.”
After the exchange, Jim acquired $2,000 worth of chips. He then relaxed in the lounge, enjoying the atmosphere and entertainment. Then, as if on cue, Slade walked through the front door straight at seven. There was no mistaking who he was, especially when his black leather jacket displayed his name with glittering silver letters. He matched this coat with black pants, black boots, and a black cowboy hat. The only thing which wasn’t black was the white t-shirt he wore under the coat.
Once McCoy sat down at a poker table, Baggins lept up from his chair, ran to the table with his chips, then immediately challenged him to a game without introducing himself.
“Hello, Slade. I’m the biggest, baddest poker player in the Southwest. And I’m here to show you how it’s done.”
“Is that so?”
“You know it’s so. Prove it otherwise. Unless you’re a coward.”
“Alright. But we play Texas Hold Em. Deal?”
“Deal!”
Jim sat down and organized his chips. The dealer passed two cards to each player. Jim looked at his cards. He had the two of hearts and the seven of diamonds. He looked at his stack of chips, then peaked at his cards. Without waiting to see what the first three cards would be, he went all-in and betted all his chips. Slade smiled and matched his bet. He had a pair of jacks. Needless to say, Jim was pulverized.
Yet, despite the disastrous loss, Jim never lost his determination. For on the following evening, he approached Slade again a few minutes after seven.
“What? You want to play again?”
“Sure. I have a brand new strategy to win. And you will never recover from the humiliation.”
“You’ve got me curious. I’ll go another round.”
Jim sat down and organized another stack of chips worth $2,000. The dealer passed two cards to each player. Jim looked at his cards. He had the nine of spades and the four of clubs. He looked at his stacks of chips, then peaked at his cards. Without hesitation, he went all-in. Slade called the bet, then revealed the king and queen in diamonds. In the end, he won with a flush. This loss was even more devastating than the other one. But Jim would not give up.
On the third and final evening in Vegas, Jim went to the Bellagio once more and obtained $2,000 worth of chips. True to form, Slade showed up at seven and took a seat in the poker room.
“You again?”
“Don’t worry. This time, I will be victorious with my brand-new approach.”
“I don’t know.”
“Come on, this is my final night in Vegas!”
“Oh, alright.”
Jim sat down and organized his chips. The dealer passed two cards to each player. Jim looked at his cards. He had the eight of clubs and the four of diamonds. He looked at his stacks of chips, then peaked at his cards. Without hesitation, he went all-in. Slade called the bet, then revealed the jack of clubs and the ten of hearts. At the end of the game, Slade won with a straight.
“You are one of the worst poker players I have ever met. Who are you? Where are you from?”
My name is Jim Bob Baggins and I come from Dallas.”
“Hey, my sister lives in Dallas!”
“I know. She gave me $6,000 to give to you.”